1. Field
Aspects of the present invention generally relate to an image forming apparatus, such as a printer, a copying machine, a facsimile machine, and a multifunction peripheral including a plurality of those functions.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image forming apparatus forms (transfers) an image onto a recording material and fixes the image to the recording material by a fixing device. If an envelope is used as the recording material and heated and pressed in the same manner as plain paper, the envelope may crease.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-224551 discusses a technique, in which a conveyance speed of the envelope is set higher in a fixing unit than in a transfer unit and the envelope is conveyed while being pulled between the transfer unit and the fixing unit, thereby the technique suppresses the occurrence of creases. If an image is to be formed on an envelope, the user firmly presses and rubs the envelope in advance to suppress the occurrence of creases, which has been known up until now.
As discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-224551, if the envelope is conveyed while being pulled between the transfer unit and the fixing unit, image misregistration may occur in the transfer unit. It is also troublesome for the user to surely rub the envelope one by one and such a measure is not effective.